Toasties are the perfect snack. Hot, crunchy, oozy and… yes, toastie.
Before you go searching through your cupboards for that ancient sandwich toaster, let us bring you right up to date. Because the latest sandwich toasters are packed with features that’ll take your toasties to the next level…
Pack in more with a deep fill sandwich toaster
Breville was big in the 70s and it’s still one of the biggest names in the toastie making game.
The Breville VST041 Deep Fill Sandwich Toaster really looks the part, with a stainless steel design that’ll look good sitting on your kitchen worktop - this isn’t a sandwich toaster you need to hide from view. There’s plenty of room to deep fill your toastie with loads of ingredients, and the Cut & Seal system stops precious ingredients like melted cheese from escaping. Plus, it’s easy to clean. The plates are non-stick, and they can be easily removed and popped straight into the dishwasher. Job done.
Make café-style paninis
Want to make perfect paninis instead? Then check out the VST025 Cafe-Style Sandwich Press. It's more than just a panini maker - you can also use it to toast focaccia and ciabatta. The hinged lid sits comfortably on top of your bread (rather than squeezing it right down) for even toasting, and there’s enough space to make three sandwiches at the same time. So it’s great for families that snack together.
Our big three top-tasting toastie recipes
Okay, let’s get toasting. Don’t worry if you’re stuck for ideas – here are three tried, tested and tasted recipes for you to try. Let’s start with a classic…
Ham & cheese
It really couldn’t be easier to knock one of these together. Two slices of bread, slice of ham, slice of cheese. But not so fast - let’s talk about those ingredients.
If you’re making a simple toastie like this one, there’s no room for hiding. So try and use the best ingredients you can afford. A plain white loaf works fine, but a couple of thin slices from a sourdough loaf will give you more taste and texture. Try and get some quality ham too. Those packs of perfectly square ham slices might seem a bargain, but the high water content means they lack flavour. Go for a pack of ham with thick slices that look like they’ve been cut by hand. Better still, head to the butcher counter of your local supermarket and get some ham sliced freshly off the bone. Finally, get creative with your cheese. Cheddar is the obvious choice, but try using Comte for a slightly more nutty flavour. Or mix things up. Add some gruyere, throw in a little mozzarella, and see what works for you.
Top toastie tip: Spread some good English mustard on one slice of bread for an extra hit of flavour.
Roasted veg, pesto & mozzarella
Let’s go veggie. Italian style! Roast a selection of your favourite veg in the oven - slow and low - until they’re nicely caramelised. Tomatoes, pepper, aubergines, courgettes and red onions all work well together.
Now assemble. Get two slices of your favourite bread, smear the insides with a tablespoon of pesto, then throw in your veg and half a ball of mozzarella (roughly torn). Add a few basil leaves, and toast to perfection. Belissimo!
Top toastie tip: These ingredients also make a spectacular panini.
Parma ham & egg
This is a cracking (sorry) recipe if you fancy a posh brunch. All you need is two slices of bread, two slices of Parma ham and an egg.
Place your slices of bread on a chopping board, and lay a slice of Parma ham on each. Press down gently on one slice of ham to make a dip in the centre, then transfer it to your pre-heated sandwich toaster. Now carefully crack your egg into the dip, season with salt and pepper, place your other slice of bread on top, and close the lid.
If you’re very lucky, you’ll end up with two toastie slices with half a perfectly cooked yolk in each. Don’t worry if you don’t manage to achieve this straight away though – we only managed it on our fourth attempt.
Top toastie tip: Add some blanched and well-drained spinach. It complements the ham and egg perfectly.